Electric-motor-driven truck.



W. J. SPANGLER.

ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN TRUCK.

APPLIOATION 111.111) sum 14, 1911.

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W. J. SPANGLER.

ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN TRUCK. 7

APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 14, 1911.

Patented May 28 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

T0 RICHARD M. ELLIOT, OFBRYN MAWR, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ONE-FOURTH T0RUSSELL TI-IAYER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-MOTOR-DRIVENY TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. SPANoLnR, of Philadelphia,rin the countyof Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain. newand useful Improvements in Electric-Mot-or-Driven Trucks, whereof thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawmgs. I

My invention relates to trucks driven by an electric motor, and suitablefor use with vehicles running on tracks, and has to do with the mountingof the motor in relation to the truck, and its connections therewith,whereby I am enabled to secure a balanced truck carrying a central motorwhich drives bot-h axles in the median plane of the truck. This I securewithout increasing the height of the truck.

5 In the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated a truckembodying my invention, Figure I, is a plan view of such a truck. Fig.II, is a longitudinal central sectim through the line II, II, of Fig. I,the motor being left in elevation. Fig. III, is an enlarged detail viewof the interposed driving connections.

The truck 1, is provided with two axles 2, 2. Appropriately mountedbetween the sides of the truck, is the electric motor 3,

the details of which are not shown, but

which I prefer to be subject to field control.

The motor is mounted with its shaft lying in the longitudinal medianplane of the truck and .is slung at such a height that its top is nohigher than the tops of the wheels of the truck. In line with the motorshaft, at either end thereof, are the short supplemental shafts 5,5,connected to the motor shaft by universal joints 6, 6. Each of thesesupplemental shafts 5, 5, carries upon its extremity a pinion 7 which isin mesh with a gear wheel 8, mounted on the countershaft 9, parallel toand in the same median plane with but on a somewhat higher thrust uponthe truck or the axles.

level than the main and supplemental shafts. Each of these supplementalshafts carries a worm gear 10, meshing with a large gear wheel 11, uponthe adjacent axle of the truck a and inthe median plane thereof. Thisgear is connect-ed to its axle for driving purposes with interpositionof a suitable differential gear as indicated onthe drawings, but not thepinions, the countershafts, the worm gear and the differential are allinclosed in the casing 16, of which the general construction issufliciently illustrated in the drawlngs.

By the construction which I have thus described, there is secured adirect central drive for both axles from a longitudinal motor lying inthe median plane of the truck. In this way I completely balance thestrains upon the truck and avoid all lateral This I accomplish withoutthe use of any mechanism or connections whereby the height of the truckis increased, which would entail raising of the platform or floor of thecar, which carries the truck. This is secured by the employment of thepinion gear between the shafts and the countershafts and of the wormgear between the countershaft and'the main axle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a motor truck, the combination of a central motor, with alongitudinal shaft lying in the median plane of the truck, and at alevel whereby the height of the truck is not increased; countershafts inthe median plane of the truck geared With interposition thecountershafts; and worm-gears whereby 10 of a Worm gear to each axle ofthe truck; the countershafts are geared to the axles.

and pinions in the median plane of the truck In testimony whereof, Ihave hereunto whereby the motor shaft is geared at either signed my nameat Philadelphia, Pennsylend to the countershafts. Vania, this twelfthday of September, 1911. 2. In a motor truck, a motor and motor WALTER J.SPANGLER.

shaft in the median plane thereof; counter- Witnesses:

shafts in the same plane at a higher level; 1 JAMES H. BELL,

pinions by which the motor shaft is geared to E. L. FULLERTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

